Alike, But Scratch The Dignity
by ShamelessHo
Summary: AU: Ian and Mickey find each other when they really, really shouldn't. (This isn't strictly speaking an alternate universe but it's a completely different story and it's a WIP. I will continue it! I expect ALL sorts of liberties to be taken with the plot (including familial bonds and stuff) but hopefully not the timeline.) Reviews would be perfect. Be kind please :)
1. Chapter 1

**Ian Gallagher**

"I don't _want_ to go," Ian complained as he started getting dressed, "We've already had one set-to with the Milkoviches this week. Well _you_ did, and I... I have to work."

Lip sat hunched on his top bunk, his legs dangling off the bed. He laughed, "You do _not_ have to _work._" He put huge inverted commas around the last word. You wanna go get laid. Just _say_ so. I'm not stupid."

Ian raised an eyebrow, questioningly.

Lip jumped down. He smacked Ian on the arm with the back of his hand, "Fuck off." He lit a cigarette and continued, "Anyway it's at Karen's house. What makes you think the Milkoviches will even turn up?"

"Er... because one, they know _you're_ gonna be there and two, Karen's mom never comes out of her room so it's like a free-for-all. Why the hell wouldn't they?" Ian was exasperated at Lip's complete nonchalance.

"I can handle myself, don't worry about it," Lip waved a dismissive hand, "You need to come out anyway – no pun intended there by the way. Fucking Kash is no good for you. He's married for fuck's sake – where is that _ever_ going to go?"

"Maybe he'll leave his wife?" Ian replied, "And I can't help the way I feel."

"Just come tonight. Get you out of this funk you're in." Lip continued, "Plus, he's not leaving his wife anytime soon. You need to move on."

Lip went downstairs leaving Ian still sitting on his bed.

Ian sighed. He'd been with Kash for a long time. It _felt_ like he was in love with him, but he'd never really been in love before, so how could he be sure? But maybe Lip was right. Kash was probably just happy to be getting regular sex – it wasn't like he was going to leave his wife and kids anytime soon. Unrequited love sucked.

Okay, he _would_ go to this party tonight. Karen always had a lot of alcohol. As long as she didn't try to suck him off again they'd be okay. And as long as the Milkoviches didn't crash the party and start brawling with everyone.

**Mickey Milkovich**

Mickey rolled over onto his stomach. He could hear his father shouting in the far reaches of the house and he shoved the pillow over his head, trying to drown out the noise.

This was nothing new for the Milkovich household. Terry was always barking orders, laying down the law, just generally trying to keep his house in order. For the most part, he left Mickey alone, or at least they kept out of each others' way.

Still, Mickey clenched his eyes shut and tried not to think about what new kind of bullshit was going on with his family right at that moment. Instead he focused on his breathing. In. Out. In. Out. In-

"Get up, ass-face!"

The pillow was whipped away and Mandy dropped down on the edge of his bed with a bounce.

Mickey side-eyed her and turned his face away. "Get the fuck off my bed," He mumbled into the mattress.

She let out a soft chuckle, "Nope. You have to get up. Dad wants to see you."

Mandy started poking his side with her forefinger gently. When there was no response she did it more insistently, building up a rhythm until eventually Mickey just jumped up.

"_ALRIGHT_. For fuck's sake."

As he whipped past Mandy she reeled back in disgust. "Jesus Mickey, stink much? Take a fucking shower."

He flipped his middle finger at her over his shoulder, "Shut it bitch. Nobody made you my fuckin' nursemaid." But he made for the bathroom anyway because it wasn't worth pissing his dad off.

He heard more voices as he passed his –open – bedroom door. Privacy was starting to sound like a myth in this house. His brothers were in the living room yapping about something excitedly so he took a quick detour to find out what was happening.

"Hey little brother," Colin said when he noticed Mickey. "There's a party at that Jackson woman's house tonight. We going?"

Mickey shrugged, "What are you askin' me for?"

"Yeah, we're going," Iggy piped up. "We'll go get you some pussy. And if we see that Gallagher kid he's gonna wish he'd not been born."

"Which kid?" Mickey knew there were a lot of them, but he hadn't met them all – a perk of not regularly attending high school.

"The eldest one. Lip. Mouthy little fucker." Iggy replied, "I'm tired o'him trying to make me look like an asshole in front of everyone."

Mickey sighed. He was getting a bit tired of this.

"What's up with you?" Iggy prodded him.

"Nothing. I'll go, but I'm not stopping around if there's any trouble." Mickey started back towards the bathroom. Even _he_ could smell the _ripe_ on him now.

"Any idea what dad wants?" he asked his brother before he opened the door to his room.

Colin shrugged, " Something about the spa, I expect, seeing as you ain't been for a while."

They all went to the "spa" but his older brothers went just for extras now. When he first went, his dad had sent him along with his brothers to get some experience. He tried not to go often, but mostly his dad sent him whenever he could and he liked to hear back from them what had gone on too so he couldn't get out if it.

And now he'd heard through his brothers that one of the girls there needed a visa. Mickey was starting to think this was what his dad was after, for Mickey to marry the girl so she could stay in the country. Mickey felt a shudder go through him. The thought really fuckin' terrified him. She wasn't horrible or anything but... let's just say – not his type.

Yeah, he was going to this party. Get blind drunk maybe, and not worry about it until later.

**Karen Jackson**

Karen scraped her hair back from her face and pulled it into a tie, then she knocked on the door to her mother's bedroom.

"Mom?" She tentatively pushed the door open, and found Sheila lying on her side on the bed, the thin curtains drawn, which did little to block out the light.

At the sound of Karen's voice, Sheila sat up. "Oh hello sweetie." She smiled at her daughter.

"I've brought you some tea and soup. Are you sure you don't want to come down?" Karen asked, hoping her mom would still say no.

"Oh sweetheart, you're so thoughtful!" Sheila's beam at her daughter's kindness was brilliant, "But I'm still kinda tired. I'm going to stay in for tonight."

Karen brought in a tray and sat it down on Sheila's bed. She kissed her mom's forehead and said, "So... is it still okay if I have a few friends over tonight?"

"Of _course!" _Sheila leaned forward conspiratorially then before adding, "Is it Lip?"

"Mom!" Karen feigned embarrassment and gave her mom a huge grin, but as she turned around the smile dropped from her face.

As she left the room she heard Sheila call, "Have fun!" but she didn't reply. She just shut the door behind her.

**Fiona Gallagher**

Lip and Ian bounded down the stairs, sounding like a herd of elephants, and Fiona wandered through into the living room before they reached the front door.

"Er... where are _you_ boys going?"

"Party at Karen's," Ian replied, turning to face her. Lip had one hand on the door.

"You gonna take your sister?"

Lip stopped, "Not that kind of party, Fi."

Fiona took a couple of steps towards them, "What the hell kind of party _is_ it then?"

Ian put a placating hand up, "Just... not one for Debs that's all. There's gonna be alcohol."

Fiona looked at Lip, "You expecting trouble?"

"I'm never _expecting_ trouble, but it always seems to find me." Lip quipped, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smirk.

"It's not funny, Lip. Those Milkovich boys show up, you stay out of their way, okay?" Fiona looked first at one boy, then the other.

Ian reached in and gave her a hug, "You don't need to worry."

"Yeah," Lip added, "You're not our mother."

"I'm the nearest thing you've got," Fiona pointed out.

They grinned at her and left. Fiona stood watching the door for a full minute before she took her phone out.

"Hey, it's me. Could you just swing by the Karen Jackson's house later? Apparently there's a party. I just want to make sure there's no trouble." There was a pause for a response, "Thanks Kev. V at work? Okay, let her know I said hi?"

She hung up the phone and went back into the kitchen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Lip Gallagher**

"Come on, it's just a party. Just have a few drinks and we'll have some fun," Lip took one last drag from his cigarette and threw it away down the street as they approached Karen's house.

Ian frowned, following his brother up the steps, "Yeah, that's easy for you to say. You'll probably be banging Karen as soon as you're through the door."

"Nah," Lip laughed, "That's just impolite. I'll at least get a drink for us both first." He was lying though because as soon as he got in the door and he found Karen, he sauntered over to her and wound his arms around her.

She wound her hand back up around the back of his head as he nuzzled her neck.

"Where's your mom?" he asked into her skin.

"Upstairs," Karen replied, "She probably took a bunch of her pills so she'll be out like a light soon."

Lip grinned, "I'll go get a drink."

Ian was standing by the kitchen counter with a can of beer as Lip approached.

"Who the hell are all these people?" he asked, handing a can to Lip.

Lip took the can and popped the tab, "No clue."

"Maybe they're all people your girlfriend jerked off?" Ian laughed.

"Hey!" Lip punched Ian's arm. "Shut up! There's a ton of guys here anyway, maybe you can get one of them to jerk _you_ off."

"For fuck's sake, Lip." Ian put his can down on the counter.

"Alright, alright! I'm just trying to take your mind off Kash that's all!" Lip put his hands up, contrite, but not really.

"But I don't _need _my mind taking off him." Ian was indignant.

"Yeah, while you're here you do. Here...," Lip dug in his pocket and handed Ian two joints, "let's spark these up. If you're not gonna get laid, let's at least get you high."

Ian took them from his brother and picked up his can.

"Lip?" Karen's voice rose high and insistent above the noise of the people and music in the crowded living room.

Lip's head whipped around, "Oh. Hold that thought." He patted his hand against Ian's chest absentmindedly and then left him standing there.

As he and Karen ran up the stairs, he didn't hear his brother shout, "I'm keeping these!"

**Iggy Milkovich**

"Where we going?" Colin piped up _again_ from the back of their little posse.

"Jesus Christ. You get hit one too many times over the fuckin' head?" Iggy smacked his brother round his skull, "How many times do I have to tell you something?"

Mickey finished the last of his cigarette and flicked it, "More important question is _why, _though? Didn't Dad say not to cause any trouble?"

Iggy smirked as he walked, "Who says we're gonna cause trouble?"

Iggy didn't really give a shit whether his brothers wanted to crash this party or not. For a start he was in the mood to cause some trouble and he had a feeling that the Gallaghers would be there for sure. He'd heard about Lip getting blown by Karen Jackson in the school bathrooms often enough, so a party at her house? No way he wouldn't show.

Besides, Iggy liked hitting people. It got his endorphins going. He didn't have BEAT DOWN tattooed on his knuckles for nothing.

And if Iggy happened to get _his_ dick sucked while they were there? That was just a bonus.

**Ian Gallagher**

He should have _known _there would be trouble. Lately he hadn't been able to go anywhere with Lip without there being some kind of contretemps because he couldn't keep his mouth shut about the Milkoviches. But he wasn't getting involved this time, not when he'd been dragged here.

He looked down at the joints in his hand. Pocketing one, he lit the other and took a deep inhale. It made his head swim almost immediately, so he took his beer and went out of the back door, sitting on the back doorstep.

When the door opened again a couple of minutes later, Ian had his eyes shut and it seemed to take an awful lot of effort to open them. His vision was almost blurry as he tried to focus on who it was, and all he could really see was pale skin that was almost glowing white in the moonlight.

"Hey," a voice said, "can I get some of that?"

Under normal circumstances Ian wouldn't have given away any of Lip's good weed, but he was still pissed at his brother so he fished the other joint out of his pocket. As the other boy's fingers touched his skin to take it from him, Ian looked up at his face. He saw dark hair and the face looked familiar, but Ian couldn't place him. He was struck by his eyes though. Very blue.

**Mickey Milkovich**

"'anks." Mickey took the joint that was proffered and lit it. He took a deep drag and closed his eyes while the smoke seeped into his lungs.

"They going at it in there?" the other boy asked?

Mickey tilted his head towards the door where shouting could quite clearly be heard. "Sounds like."

"Can't go anywhere without this happening lately," came the reply on a sigh.

"That's South Side for ya," Mickey answered, eyes still closed. Then he opened them and looked over at the redheaded boy in on the step next to him. He was staring back at Mickey. It caught them both by surprise for a second.

Mickey recovered first. "This is good shit," he said, waving the joint about before taking another hit.

"Yeah," his smoking companion agreed. "My brother gave them to me. I think he forgot it was the good stuff though." He let out a childish laugh which soon turned into a fit of giggles.

Mickey stared at him. "Jesus, how much have you had?"

"Only this," the redhead answered, between guffaws.

"Wow." Mickey mouthed.

Watching the younger boy in his ridiculous laughter phase of the high was actually quite amusing. Mickey always tended to bypass that and go straight to horny, which was the reason he very rarely smoked anymore, because he tended to go and find what he _actually _wanted then and his dad wouldn't be pleased about it.

As the weed started to take effect, he idly wondered if this redhead would get to that stage or if giggling like a ridiculous fuckin' school girl was his go-to move.

Mickey's dick started taking interest in nothing in particular and he rubbed at it absently through his jeans, and out of the corner of his eye he saw movement. This kid was blatantly staring at Mickey's hand, and licking his lips.

"Er...?" Mickey tried to get his attention.

The other boy's eyes drifted slowly up to meet Mickey's. His pupils were blown and his eyelids hooded. "Ian."

"What?"

The boy shuffled forwards a bit on the step, "My name's Ian."

Mickey couldn't look away from Ian's eyes, "So?"

"So, I just thought you should know my name because I really want to kiss you." Ian replied.

Mickey's tongue shot out and licked across his lips, suddenly dry. Probably from the weed but maybe because he was a little startled and was his mouth hanging open? "You're not kissing me. What the fuck?"

"Let me do this then," Ian leaned in even further and placed his hand over Mickey's, which was _still_ on his dick, and rubbed.

Mickey leapt up. Under normal circumstances in a situation like this, in a house full of people, his instinct would be '_get the fuck out of here'_ but these weren't normal circumstances and his brain was swimming with the high from... '_DAMN this was some good shit.'_ And_ 'are those freckles?'_

He cleared his throat, "Inside."

He noticed the smirk on Ian's face he pushed past him through the door into the kitchen. There was a pause as he realised the house was still pretty crowded, but all the attention was on face-off between Iggy and Lip going on in the living room, so nobody saw as he followed Ian into the cupboard under the stairs pushing him down as he closed the door behind them.

**Kev Ball**

Kev really hated these parties. He much preferred hanging out at the Gallaghers' house and just drinking beer, but every once in a while he had to tag along with Lip because fuck knows, somebody had to keep the peace, and he was good at talking the cops down.

By cops, he obviously meant Tony because whenever the "domestic disputes" in this neighbourhood got started, everyone always knew who started it, and Tony was always the one to come and sort it out.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa guys. GUYS!**" **Kev tried to get in the middle of Lip and Iggy, who were having a stand-off right in front of the window, "Are you fucking stupid? Let's just everybody calm the fuck down okay?"

Iggy let loose some sort of growling noise, and Lip raised up on his tiptoes like he was ready to start bouncing, let the first punch fly.

Kev swung around and put a hand flat against Lip's chest, "LIP! Get the fuck out of here!"

"That's probably a good idea," Karen interjected. "I think maybe my mom might have called the cops." She gestured behind her to the stairs, where Sheila was peering at them, her eyes wild and terrified.

Kev let out a low "fuck" and pushed Lip towards the back door. Karen followed them.

"This ain't over, Gallagher!" Iggy shouted after them, his brothers crowding around him like some sort of entourage, and they left through the front door.

Everyone else made a very determined effort to use the back door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Mandy Milkovich**

Mandy's expression was a blanket of shock before she snapped out of it and grabbed Mickey by the wrist and yanked him out from under the stairs.

"What the hell are you doing, dumbass?" She hissed at him, pulling him away from Ian as hard as possible.

Ian scrambled to his feet and took off quickly in the opposite direction, but she noticed him glance back and she shook her head at him, a warning.

"Get the fuck off of me," As they got out of the door, Mickey twisted his arm out of his sister's grip, and Mandy practically leapt in front of him, a hand on each of his arms, stopping him in his tracks.

"Mickey stop!" She levelled her face with his, forcing eye contact. "Just stop for a second and think about what just happened!"

Mickey's eyes widened as realisation dawned. "Fuck." He scrubbed a hand over his face. "Fuck! Mandy, what...?"

It hit Mandy that she had _literally_ just pulled Mickey out of the closet, even though on some level she had definitely known. In the pressure of the situation though, she didn't know how to reassure him.

"Mickey, I don't give a shit about this, alright?" His eyes glanced about wildly, but before Mandy could say anything more she heard more people leaving the Jackson house so she all but dragged him across the road.

She stopped when they were hidden behind one of the columns holding the L track up, turning to push him against it. He looked at her but his gaze was unfocused.

"Mickey? Will you fucking get a grip here for one second?" She stopped herself from slapping his face only because she knew his natural reaction, even in this state, would probably be to smack her back. "You do realise who that was, right?"

Mickey's face was still blank as he stared through her.

"Jesus Mickey! Focus!" She shook him, "It's Ian fucking Gallagher!"

At the sound of the name, Mickey snapped back to attention.

"What?!"

"Gallagher. Yeah. He's Lip's younger brother," Mandy visibly sagged with relief that Mickey was finally catching on. "That makes you a complete fucking idiot! What if Iggy had seen you?"

"I..." Mickey's words trailed off.

Mandy finally let go of him. "I know what you're worried about. Nobody saw you. Only me. And you KNOW I won't tell anyone. I know what would happen if Dad found out."

Mickey let out a long breath.

"BUT," Mandy continued, "if Iggy had caught you, it wouldn't have even mattered that you had some dude's dick in your hand. As much as he can be an asshole sometimes he's still your brother. But if he'd seen you with a Gallagher?"

"I didn't know," Mickey said quietly.

"What?"

He looked up at her, "I didn't know who he was."

Mandy was incredulous, "How is that possible?"

"I don't fuckin' know!" Mickey was on the defensive now, "I just haven't seen him before. When was the last time I was in school? And it's not as if Iggy stops to introduce the family on beat downs is it?"

Mandy closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, Mickey was lighting a cigarette. "Look, just stay the fuck away from him and it'll all be alright."

**Ian Gallagher**

Ian's heart was pounding as he reached his house. From the running, the after effects of the weed, but mostly from seeing the boy leaving with Mandy Milkovich and realising with a horrible lurch just exactly who he was. Fuck. That meant he was Mickey Milkovich. No wonder he'd looked familiar.

Still, as fucked up as this might be, they'd practically dragged each other into that closet. It had reminded him of that time in ninth grade when Lip had made Karen take him in there for Seven Minutes in Heaven - and she'd kissed him and that was when he'd known he was _definitely_ gay – only this had actually felt like something real. Even more than with Kash.

Sure, okay they'd been high, but when Mickey had touched him it made his chest ache in a way that being with Kash had never done. Not in almost two years.

He felt stupid for even thinking it but it was like something had switched on in his brain while they were in there. It was screaming at him "yes! This is what you really want!" It was crazy, but it felt right.

But everything about it was wrong because he was a Milkovich. It didn't matter that he was a boy because his family knew he was gay and they didn't care - these were the people who loved him unconditionally.

As long as he wasn't fucking a Milkovich.

He shucked off his clothes and climbed into his bed. Lip was still out somewhere and the others were asleep.

Snaking his hand into his boxers, he thought about what had just happened. Now the adrenaline had worn off and he'd come down from his high, he just thought about Mickey's face as he'd wrapped his hands around Ian's dick, the joint giving him confidence. He remembered having to grab onto whatever his hands found as Mickey pulled and stroked, his eyes never leaving Ian's, Mickey biting his lip as they both came, Ian all over Mickey's hand and Mickey in his pants. That cupboard must have reeked of sex.

Ian's spit-slicked hand moved over his cock again now, recreating the movements as near as possible, until that hot feeling started in the pit of his stomach. He was so close, when a sharp tap came on his window, closely followed by another one.

"Are you fucking KIDDING me?" Ian muttered to himself.

"Gallagher?"

He recognised the voice as he went to the window but he was still at once surprised and terrified to see Mickey standing on the sidewalk, a cigarette in one hand and handful of stones in the other.

He pulled the window open and hissed out, "Jesus, are you fucking insane?! What are you DOING here?"

Mickey blatantly stared up at Ian's bare torso for a second before he spoke.

"I came to check this ain't some kind of set-up. And to make sure you keep your mouth shut."

Ian rolled his eyes, "You're joking right? You think I have some kind of a death wish?" Mickey shrugged. "I think you just wanted to see me again."

"Fuck off." Mickey started to pace about a bit. He looked nervous and it made Ian smile.

"Yeah you did. That's okay. I had a good time too. But coming here is a dumbass move." Ian watched Mickey nibble at his thumb, the smoke from his cigarette curling around his face.

He stage-whispered down, "You can find me at the Kash and Grab."

"Why would I give a shit about that?" Mickey replied, clearly aiming for nonchalance, but Ian was positive he saw the ghost of smile before he shut the window and lay back down to finish what he'd started.


End file.
